Roasted Lemon Asparagus
This asparagus quickly roasts in under 10 minutes with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. It’s a light and delicious side dish!
I love it because it’s fast and the preparation is next to non-existent. Any dish that frees up my time for everything else is a win for me.
This one is so simple it requires only 4 ingredients.
It’s perfect for those evenings when you’re scrambling to put a little green on everyone’s plates but you don’t want to spend an hour in the kitchen. Can I get an amen?
Let’s talk about the right way to prepare asparagus. Chances are you’ve had it overdone before. It’s easy to overcook asparagus because it cooks so quickly. No matter what any asparagus recipe says the cooking time varies drastically based on the thickness of the stalks you’re using. So watch that oven! Finished asparagus should not resemble a sad little noodle. A little crunch can be a good thing.
On it’s own asparagus has a very mild flavor. There’s a lot you can do with it! I love to pair asparagus with just a bit of lemon. It’s not overpowering so I add an extra squeeze of lemon juice at the end to make it more pronounced.
For this recipe you’ll need (full list of ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below):
- Olive oil
- Asparagus
- Salt
- Lemon juice
To make this recipe you’ll trim the ends of your asparagus. Then spread the asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt. Pop it in the oven until asparagus is tender crisp. Add extra lemon juice or lemon zest before serving if you like!
How to store asparagus
I store my fresh asparagus the same way I do my fresh herbs! As soon as I unload the groceries I stand my asparagus up in a glass jar and add about 2 inches of water. Then place the jar in the refrigerator (mine sits on a shelf in the refrigerator door) until you’re ready to cook the asparagus.
More ways to season asparagus
The ingredients in this recipe detail the way I most often prepare my asparagus. I really love the freshness of lemon in this dish! But you can of course play around with the seasonings. Here are a few suggestions:
- Shredded or grated parmesan cheese would add a yummy saltiness to this side!
- Want some heat? Sprinkle between 1/4 tsp and 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes to the finished asparagus.
- Have fresh herbs? Chopped fresh basil is a lovely complement to asparagus.
More side dishes like this:
Herb Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Broccoli
Roasted Lemon Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh asparagus
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice + additional for topping
Optional: thin slices of lemon or lemon zest for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Rinse the asparagus. Pat dry with a paper towel. Trim off the end pieces (approximately 1-2 inches).
- Lay your asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet or baking dish. (Both work great.) It’s important that it’s a single layer as it allows your asparagus to cook quickly and evenly.
- Drizzle olive oil over your asparagus. Give your asparagus a little flip to get olive oil on both sides. (You do not want them completely coated. The 2 teaspoons of olive oil is plenty.)
- Sprinkle with salt. Drizzle lemon juice on top.
- Bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes. If you like your asparagus a little more firm you'll take them out around the 7 minute mark. 8-10 minutes will produce a more wilted stalk. The time also varies based on how thick your asparagus is so you'll want to keep a close on eye on them.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately. Add extra lemon juice or lemon zest before serving if you like!
